Ötztal & Sölden

A glacier valley deep in Tyrol, home to the Sölden ski area and ice Q, a filming location for Spectre, plus the Ötzi Village, Stuiben Falls and Aqua Dome thermal spa.

The Ötztal is a side valley about 65 km long branching south off the Inn Valley in western Tyrol, Austria. It climbs from Ötztal railway station at its mouth all the way to the glaciated peaks on the Austrian–Italian border, passing in turn through Oetz, Umhausen, Längenfeld, Sölden and, at the head of the valley, Obergurgl and Vent. Sölden is the valley's tourism hub, famous in winter for its large ski area with two glaciers, where the Alpine Ski World Cup season opens every year in late October; the glass-walled ice Q restaurant and 007 Elements on the summit of the Gaislachkogl became popular after Spectre was filmed here. A visit falls into three sections: around the valley mouth are the AREA 47 outdoor park and Lake Piburg; in the middle section, Umhausen has Stuiben Falls, the highest waterfall in Tyrol, and the Ötzi Village, while Längenfeld has the Aqua Dome thermal spa; further up, Sölden and Obergurgl offer glaciers, cable-car viewpoints and skiing, and in summer you can drive the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road over to South Tyrol in Italy. Best seasons: skiing Dec–Apr, with the glaciers opening as early as October; Jul–Sep is most pleasant for mountain cable cars and hiking; in May and early November many cable cars and hotels close for maintenance. Getting there: trains from Innsbruck take about 40 minutes to Ötztal station, then the valley bus takes about 1 hour to Sölden; by car it's about 1 hour via the A12 motorway, and the Timmelsjoch and glacier roads are tolled. Allow 3–5 days; in summer, 2–3 days covers the main sights. Temperatures swing widely between day and night at altitude, so bring warm layers for summits above 3,000 m even in midsummer; book accommodation well ahead for the ski season and summer holidays, and note that many hotels include the Ötztal Card, covering cable cars and buses, with your stay.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries